TexasHoops.com Prospect Focus: Brown, Ejiofor, McBride, & more
Naaman Forest - Garland High and South Garland had to square off one last time and on the line was a ticket to the Region II-6A playoffs that teams begin playing on Monday. Garland Was able to get the spot with a 59-51 win in front of a good crowd that gathered at Naaman Forest (neutral site).
There were prospects for both teams, and they are young prospects. TexasHoops.com's Recruiting Analyst Blue Zertuche dives into the play of Garland's Aaron King, Ugo Ejiofor, and Zuby Ejiofor. While talking about two freshmen from South Garland, Justin McBride, and T'johnn Brown.
To get right to it, T'johnn Brown looks to have a lot of juice to his game for only being a freshman. You wouldn't pick him out at first as teams take the court, but then Brown plays his game of speed and quickness, peppered with stop and go action when he has the ball. The South Garland freshman has a good feel for the game and plays under control. For as quick as he is, as a defender, you can lose the 5-foot-9 sparkplug as he makes his way up and down the court.
Brown is a penetrating guard who will take the ball right at his opponent but knows when to pull up for jumpers and will bust loose on the perimeter for open three-point opportunities. Brown has a nice stroke and once the ball leaves his hands you feel like it is always going through the net.
Brown scored 15 points and hit three 3-pointers Friday night.
Listed at 6-foot-7, it wouldn't be stretching the truth to call Zuby Ejiofor an inch taller. Ejiofor has a great big body to take up every bit of the paint and the strength to gather rebounds. Ejiofor has gotten better from the first time I saw him and he is consistent on what he wants to accomplish on the court.
Naturally, Ejiofor does a ton of damage around the basket on offense. He gets low on the block and catches the ball with a strong base and forces his way to the basket. However, Ejiofor has some off the dribble instincts. Getting the ball away from the paint about 15-feet, he will put the ball on the floor and finish over the defense, easily. Eljiofor scored 20 points.
Aaron King dropped in 20 points, and he can score in a hurry. King pushed the ball in transition and spotted up from behind the arc as he sank three 3-pointers. King was all over the court as a ball-handler and a player that was going to defend. King played a hard-nose all-around game and made athletic plays. And hey, King is a cornerback for the Garland Owls football squad and he brought that toughness mentality to the floor Friday.
Yes, there was size with Elijofor and quickness with both Brown and King, but it was Justin McBride who I came away with asking "how good can this freshman be?" Wow, he looked every bit of the part. Trim built, long arms and legs, good touch around the basket and willing to fight for the ball. There was definitely a strength difference between McBride and Ejiofor, but McBride was mixing it up and battling on both ends. There were times that McBride was outmuscled, but in a year or so, with his frame, he showed glimpses of winning the 50/50 ball.
McBride didn't hit a three Friday night, but when the ball left his hands, he exhibited a nice release. McBride played hard and ran the middle of the floor wanting to do whatever it took to help his team win. What I liked the most was his demeanor and how he left it all on the court. McBride scored 11 points.
It's a luxury for Garland’s head coach Randy Love to have Ugo Ejiofor on the court at 6-foot-6, to go along with his younger brother, Zuby. Ugo scores at the basket and rebounds. A defense can't allow him to get position in the paint because he will score. He wants to attack the rim on both ends of the court and he runs the floor.